Arafat nearer expulsion, says Israeli minister

Yasser Arafat’s expulsion is “closer than ever”, the Israeli foreign minister warned today. Silvan Shalom said the Palestinian leader has no place in the region.

Earlier this week, Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said the government remained committed to a security Cabinet decision from last year to remove Arafat.

However, a senior government official said there were no immediate plans to take action against Arafat, who remains confined to his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

The renewed threats by Shalom apparently came in the context of domestic Israeli politics. Shalom is seen as a potential successor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as leader of the ruling Likud Party, and is courting hawkish activists.

Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat accused Israeli officials of inciting against Arafat. “I believe this is part of the strategy of destroying the Palestinian Authority and harming the president,” he said.

Israeli troops battled dozens of gunmen on the outskirts of the sprawling Jebaliya refugee camp in Gaza today

Three Palestinians were killed by army fire – two gunmen and an unarmed man who was shot dead near an Israeli settlement.